Belong or Pretend?

Belong or Pretend?

In this episode, we practice the “Belong or Pretend” game, built for kids and parents to do together.  Belonging means I have a place to say what I feel and people still want to be with me. Pretending is when I act loud, perfect, or agreeable to keep approval. We walk through real-life situations like telling a safe person “I feel sad,” being invited to sit with a friend even when you’re quiet, asking a grown-up for help when you feel left out, and handling anger with honest words. Resources, activities, and discussion tools for families are available at:  🌱 howareyoufeelingtoday.net [https://www.howareyoufeelingtoday.net/] Learn more about counseling and family resources at:  🌿 vothcenter.com [https://www.vothcenter.com/]

The Need to Belong - A Place For Mack

Belonging isn’t about being the fastest, funniest, smartest, or strongest. Belonging means I have a place to say what I feel, and people still want to be with me. Through a gentle jungle story, Kai the tiger wrestles with comparison at home, and Mack the turtle wonders if he belongs at the gathering pool because he can’t do what other animals do. What happens next is the heart of the lesson: Mack’s friends aren’t asking him to be someone else. They’re glad he’s there because he’s Mack. Resources, activities, and discussion tools for families are available at:  🌱 howareyoufeelingtoday.net [https://www.howareyoufeelingtoday.net/] Learn more about counseling and family resources at:  🌿 vothcenter.com [https://www.vothcenter.com/]

Glad - Interview With a Feelings Expert

Glad isn’t just a smile. Sometimes it shows up right next to lonely, sad, or even hurt, and that “mixed up” feeling can be confusing for kids and adults alike. I sit down with Dakota for a warm, funny, and surprisingly deep conversation that helps kids build real emotional vocabulary and helps parents practice emotional coaching without turning it into a lecture. Resources, activities, and discussion tools for families are available at:  🌱 howareyoufeelingtoday.net [https://www.howareyoufeelingtoday.net/] Learn more about counseling and family resources at:  🌿 vothcenter.com [https://www.vothcenter.com/]

Glad - Night in the Jungle

Glad can feel like cheering after a hard-earned win, but it can also feel like a quiet warmth in your chest when you realize you belong.  Today's story steps back into a jungle story where the gathering pool holds memories of fear, sadness, shame, courage, and truth. We also break down a key social emotional learning idea: glad is not always the same as happy. Gladness can be joyful, hopeful, and secure, and it can include tears when something meaningful changes or ends.  Resources, activities, and discussion tools for families are available at:  🌱 howareyoufeelingtoday.net [https://www.howareyoufeelingtoday.net/] Learn more about counseling and family resources at:  🌿 vothcenter.com [https://www.vothcenter.com/]

Guilt - Interview With a Feelings Expert

In this episode of How Are You Feeling Today?, Alex is joined by six-year-old Sloan, a curious, brave, and imaginative guest who helps us understand the feeling of guilt. Through the story of Theo and the heart-shaped stone at the Gathering Pool, Sloan explores what it feels like when a child does something wrong, wants to hide, and needs help telling the truth. Together, Alex and Sloan talk about forgiveness, repair, and the comfort children need after saying “I’m sorry” — reminding kids and parents that guilt is not here to shame us, but to help us come back into connection. Resources, activities, and discussion tools for families are available at:  🌱 howareyoufeelingtoday.net [https://www.howareyoufeelingtoday.net/] Learn more about counseling and family resources at:  🌿 vothcenter.com [https://www.vothcenter.com/]